U.S. patent number 4,977,836 [Application Number 07/483,753] was granted by the patent office on 1990-12-18 for parts stacking pallet.
Invention is credited to Irvin D. Bond.
United States Patent |
4,977,836 |
Bond |
December 18, 1990 |
Parts stacking pallet
Abstract
A pallet for supporting a plurality of similarly shaped parts
piled one above another in a stacked relationship. Locator pins on
a base portion of the pallet keep the parts in the desired stacked
condition. The pallet base includes two parallel horizontal tubes
that are adapted to receive the prongs of a fork lift truck for
transporting the pallet. Structural beam elements are welded to the
prong-receiving tubes to provide a high-strength base structure.
The locator pins are detachably connected with anchoring blocks
that can be slidably adjusted in (along) hollow tracks affixed to
the base area of the pallet. Each anchoring block has threaded
engagement with a socket member, such that when a locator pin is
inserted into a socket member and turned around the pin axis, the
anchoring block is automatically clamped against interior surfaces
of the associated track.
Inventors: |
Bond; Irvin D. (Clarkston,
MI) |
Family
ID: |
27168691 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/483,753 |
Filed: |
February 23, 1990 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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227099 |
Aug 1, 1988 |
4915033 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
108/55.1;
248/346.02; 411/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
19/44 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
19/44 (20060101); B65D 19/38 (20060101); B65D
019/44 () |
Field of
Search: |
;108/55.1,55.3,55.5,54.1
;248/346,558,678,680 ;411/84,85 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Aschenbrenner; Peter A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Chandler; Charles W.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 227,099, filed on Aug. 1, 1988, now U.S. Pat.
No. 4,915,033.
Claims
I claim:
1. A pallet for supporting a plurality of similarly-shaped parts
piled one above the other in a stacked position; said parts having
a border with a common configuration; said pallet comprising:
a base that includes a plural number of hollow elongated horizontal
tracks;
at least one non-rotary anchor block keyably and slidably arranged
in each track for slidable adjustment therealong; each anchor block
having a vertically extending threaded hole therein;
a socket member associated with each anchor block; each socket
member having an external threaded area meshed with the hole
threads, and a vertical straight-sided cavity centrally arranged
within the external threaded area; and
a plural number of elongated upstanding locator pins, each locator
pin including a non-circular plug element adapted to have a
non-rotary fit in any one of the socket member cavities, each of
said locator pins being turnable to rotate the associated socket
member, such that the associated anchor block is moved vertically
upwardly to grip an internal surface of the associated track.
2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein each of said vertical cavities
extends entirely through the associated socket member.
3. The pallet of claim 2, wherein each of said threaded holes
extends entirely through the associated anchor block.
4. The pallet of claim 3, wherein each horizontal track as a
C-shaped cross-section, that includes a horizontal bottom wall
section, two vertical side wall sections, and two inturned upper
flanges.
5. The pallet of claim 4, wherein the two inturned flanges define a
slot extending substantially the entire length of the associated
track.
6. A pallet for supporting a plurality of similarly-shaped parts
piled one above the other in a stacked position; said parts having
a border with a common configuration, said pallet comprising:
a base that includes two parallel horizontal tubes spaced to define
a mid plane through the base, said tubes having rectangular
cross-sections designed to receive therein the lift arms of a fork
lift truck, whereby the base can be transported from one place to
another; said base further including first structural beam elements
extending transverse to said tubes near opposite ends thereof, and
second structural beam elements connecting end areas of the first
beam elements, to define a base having a rectangular configuration
in the top plan view;
a plural number of elongated linear hollow tracks affixed to upper
face areas of said base, each track extending at an acute angle to
the aforementioned mid plane; each track comprising a separate
hollow horizontal tubular element having a longitudinal slot in its
upper surface;
an anchor means slidably positionable in each hollow track for
adjusting movements therealong; each anchor means having a socket
cavity registering with the elongated slot in the associated
track;
elongated upstanding locator pins having noncircular plug elements
adapted to fit into the socket cavities in the adjustable anchor
means;
each anchor means having surface areas thereof adapted to exert
clamp forces on the associated track when a locator pin is inserted
into the associated socket cavity whereby the locator pin then
automatically assumes a fixed location along the associated
track.
7. The pallet of claim 6, wherein said tracks are affixed directly
to upper face areas of the rectangular tubes and structural beam
elements.
8. The pallet of claim 7, wherein said rectangular tubes and
structural beam elements are in planar alignment: said rectangular
tubes and structural beam elements having a common vertical
thickness dimension so that their upper and lower faces are in
common horizontal planes.
9. The pallet of claim 8, wherein said tracks have C
cross-sections; each track cross-section including a horizontal
bottom wall section, two vertical wall sections, and two inturned
upper flanges.
10. The pallet of claim 9, wherein each track has a substantial
vertical thickness approximating the vertical thickness of the
subjacent base; the socket cavity in each anchor means extending
the full vertical dimension of the anchor means, such that the
locator pins have substantial axial plug element areas fittable
into the cavities.
11. The pallet of claim 10, wherein each socket cavity is
approximately four inches measured in the vertical direction.
12. The pallet of claim 6, wherein each anchor means comprises an
anchor block having a square cross-section when taken along a
horizontal plane through the block.
13. The pallet of claim 6, wherein there are eight individual
tracks arranged in four pairs, each pair of tracks extending from a
corner area of the base toward the central axis of the base; the
tracks in each pair being in approximate parallelism with each
other.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
My co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 227,099 discloses a
pallet for supporting a plurality of similarly shaped parts piled
one above another in a stacked condition. The pallet comprises a
rectangular base adapted to seat flatwise on a factory floor, and a
plural number of upstanding locator pins extending upwardly from
the base to form an enclosure for a stack of parts.
The base has a series of linear slots extending therealong to
accommodate the lower ends of the locator pins. Anchorage devices
are associated with the pins to hold them in selected positions of
adjustment along the slots depending on the configuration of the
parts to be stacked on the base. The use of continuous slots is
advantageous in that an infinite number of pin adjustments can be
realized, within limits dictated by the lengths of the individual
slots.
The present invention is directed to a pallet construction that is
basically the same as the pallet structure shown in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 227,099. One aim of the present invention is
to provide a pallet that can be a relatively lightweight
construction while at the same time being relatively strong and
effective as an anchorage mechanism for the locator pins.
The presently proposed pallet structure comprises a base formed in
part by two parallel tubes spaced to define a midplane for the
base. These tubes have rectangular cross sections designed to
receive therein the lifter arms (prongs) of a fork lift truck. This
feature enables the pallet to be readily transported from one point
in a factory to another, via conventional lift truck
operations.
The base of the pallet further comprises structural beam elements
extending transversely from end areas of the fork liftreceiving
tubes, and other structural beam elements interconnecting the outer
ends of the first mentioned beam elements, to define a base having
a rectangular configurations (when view in the top plan direction).
The base is relatively strong, yet relatively liqht in weight (in
relation to its capacity for supporting stacked parts).
The slot mechanism for adjustably anchoring the upstanding locator
pins comprises a plural number (e.g., eight) elongated channel
members (or hollow tracks) oriented horizontally on the upper
surfaces of the rectangular cross-sectioned tubes and connected
beam elements These channels (tracks) have upwardlyfacing slots
running therealong to receive lower end areas of the upstanding
locator pins. The extreme lower ends of the pins are constructed as
non-circular plug elements, adapted to detachably fit into socket
cavities provided within block-like anchorage devices slidably
disposed within the hollow tracks The anchorage devices can be
moved back and forth along the tracks to adjust the positions of
the upstanding locator pins.
Typically, each locator pin has a total length of about twenty-five
inches. About four inches of the pin length are formed into a
non-circular plug element. This relatively long length plug element
has a fairly rigid wobble-free connection with the associated
socket cavity in the subjacent anchorage device.
The individual hollow tracks (channels) are relatively light in
weight, yet they have relatively thick vertical internal dimensions
(e.g., about four inches) for accommodating relatively thick
anchorage blocks, as necessary, to achieve a firm support for the
upstanding locator pins.
A principal object of this invention is to provide a pallet
construction that is relatively light in weight, while at the same
time providing firm rigid connections between the base area of the
pallet and the adjustable locator pins. In preferred practice of
the invention, the base of the pallet includes two horizontal tubes
designed to accommodate the lifter arms of a fork lift truck.
THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet constructed according to
the invention.
FIG. 2 a plan view of the FIG. 1 pallet, but with the locator pins
having different adjusted positions (to accommodate differently
stackable parts).
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the FIG. 1 pallet, with a
second pallet adapted to be stacked on the lower pallet shown in
phantom.
FIG. 4 a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing an anchorage
mechanism for a representative locator pin used in the FIG. 1
pallet.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken on lines 5-5 and 6-6 in
FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a track structure and locator
in FIG. 4.
FIG. 8 sectional view taken in the same direction as FIG. 4, but
illustrating an alternative anchorage mechanism
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 through 3 show a pallet structure embodying the invention.
FIGS. 4 through 7 illustrate structural details used in the FIG. 1
pallet structure. The pallet structure comprises four basic
components, namely a base 10, a plural number of horizontal tracks
12 affixed to said base, a number of upstanding locator pins 14,
and pin anchorage mechanisms 16 slidably disposed in the various
tracks. The pin anchorage mechanisms are individually constructed
so that when a locator pin is inserted into an anchorage mechanism
and turned around the pin axis, the anchorage mechanism exerts a
clamping force on interior surfaces of the associated track 12,
thereby retaining the associated locator pin in a fixed position of
adjustment.
FIG. 1 shows six locator pins 14 positioned in tracks 12 along edge
areas of a rectangular steel plate 18. Plate 18 constitutes a
representative workpiece forming part of a stack of parts to be
supported and oriented one above another on the pallet. In a
typical factory installation, plates 18 will be deposited into the
space circumscribed by the locator pins from an overhead point. The
"depositing" process may be performed manually or by a mechanical
means, depending on the nature of the part and the extent to which
the factory might be automated. When a stack of parts is built up
on the pallet, the pallet can be moved to a different work station,
via a fork lift truck, not shown.
Locator pins 14 can take various different adjusted positions,
depending on the configuration (shape) of the parts to be stacked
10 on the pallet. FIG. 2 shows the locator pins 14 adjusted for
positionment along the border (edges) of an irregularly-shaped
stack of parts 18a.
Base 10 of the pallet includes two parallel horizontal tubes 20
spaced to define an imaginary midplane (bisection point) 22 through
the base. As shown in FIG. 3 each tube 20 has a rectangular
cross-section, typically four inches by eight inches. The spacing
between tubes 20 is such that the lifter prongs of a conventional
lift truck not shown) can be moved into the tubes by driving the
truck toward the pallet. With the prongs inserted into tubes 20,
the pallet can be transported to a new location.
Transverse structural beam elements 24 extend between tubes 20 and
also outwardly (laterally) from the tubes, as shown in FIG. 2,
i.e., there are three such beam elements at each tube end area.
Other structural beam elements 26 interconnect the free ends of the
beam elements to form a generally rectangular base, as viewed in
FIG. 2. The various tubes and beam elements are welded together to
form a unitary rigid base structure. Each beam elements 24 or 26 is
preferably a channel element.
The illustrated base includes short corner sleeves 28 at its
corners. These sleeves serve as reception points for corner posts
30 (FIG. 3). Each corner post includes a plug section 31 telescope
into a sleeve 28 to releasably mount the post on base 10. The
pallet can be used with or without the corner posts. The primary
purpose for the corner posts is to permit two or more pallets to be
stacked one above another, as indicated schematically in FIG. 3.
The upper end of each corner post can telescope into the corner
sleeve of the superjacent pallet to stack the pallets one above the
other.
As such in FIG. 2, there are eight horizontal tracks 12 affixed to
the upper face of base 10, i.e. the upper surfaces of 15 tubes 20
and beam elements 26. The upper and lower surfaces of tubes 20 and
the various beam elements are in common horizontal plans, such that
their upper surfaces form suitable mounting surfaces for tracks 12.
The tracks are rigidly welded to tubes 20 and beam elements 26.
Additionally, the confronting ends of selected tracks may be welded
together to further rigidify the track system.
The eight tracks shown in FIG. 2 are arranged in four pairs, with
the tracks in each pair being parallel to one another. Each pair of
tracks extends from a corner area of base 10 generally toward the
central axis 32 of the base. The tracks are of different lengths,
but they could be of the same length, if so desired.
FIG. 4 illustrates a representative cross-section of one of the
tracks 12. Each track has a similar C cross-section, comprising a
horizontal bottom wall 34, two vertical side walls 36, and two
inturned upper flanges 38. The space between the inner edges of
flanges 38 forms an elongated slot 40 (FIG. 2). Each track is
preferably formed from a square cross-sectioned steel tube. Slot 40
is milled out of one wall of the tube. As seen in FIG. 2, each slot
40 stops short of the outer "free" end of the associated track 12.
This is to rigidify the tube end area against undesired spreading
apart of the track side walls. The "inner" ends of the tracks do
not require such rigidification because they are welded to an
adjacent wall of an abutting track.
Each track is adapted to slidably receive one or more anchor blocks
42 (FIGS. 4 and 5). As seen in FIG. 5, anchor block 42 has a square
cross section, with flat faces 43 of the block being slidably
positioned on (against) the inner side surfaces of track walls 36.
The block can slide along the track interior space, but it cannot
rotate.
Block 42 has a vertical threaded hole extending entirely
therethrough. A cooperating socket member 44 has an external
threaded area 46 meshed with the threaded surface of the hole in
block 42. The socket member has a sleeve-like character, such that
a central hexagonal socket cavity 48 extends through the socket
member
Each locator pin 14 has its lower end configured as a
hexagonal-shaped plug element 50 mated to socket cavity 48 in any
one of members 44. Each locator pin is connected to its associated
plug by a roll pin 52. FIG. 4 shows a representative locator pin 14
arranged so that its plug element 50 is fully extended into cavity
48 in the associated member 44. In this position, the locator pin
can be turned around its vertical axis to apply a turning torque to
member 44. As member 44 is turned in one direction, the thread
interaction between members 44 and 42 causes member 42 to be
shifted upwardly in track 12 so that the upper face 10 of member 42
exerts a clamping force against the undersurfaces of track flanges
38. In relative terms, member 44 exerts a downward force on track
wall 34 while member 42 is pressuring flanges 38. This upward
movement of member (block) 42 is relatively slight, only a few
thousandths of an inch, is necessary to eliminate play between the
block and track 12.
This manual turning motion of locator pin 14 is used after the
locator pin is in its desired position of adjustment (as determined
by a template or an actual part 18 or 18a). The turning motion of
pin 14 locks block 42 in the desired adjusted position Pin 14 can
be lifted out of the anchorage mechanism without disturbing the
adjusted position of anchor block 42, e.g., should it be desired to
temporarily stack different size parts (workpieces).
Through holes 54 are provided in the upper ends of pins 14 to
receive a turning rod for achieving an increased turning force. It
might on occasion be desired to clamp anchor block 42 more tightly
to track 12 than can be achieved by manually turning pin
FIGS. 4 and 5 represent the preferred mechanism for adjustably
positioning and locking locator pins 14 at selected points along
the associated tracks 12. It will be appreciated, however, that
other locking mechanisms could be employed while still using the
principal features of the invention, namely the illustrated base 10
and system of tracks 12.
For purposes of indicating the potential breadth of application of
the base 10-track 12 combination, there is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9
an alternate locking (anchoring) mechanism. A square anchor block
42a has a square cross-sectioned socket cavity 48a extending
vertically therethrough. The cooperating plug element 50a on the
lower end of the locator pin has a similar cross 15 section.
Two floating pads 56 are slidably positioned in block 42a for
slight movement toward or away from track side walls 36. The inner
ends of pads 56 project slightly into the socket space 48a. As the
locator pin is moved downward, the side faces of plug element 50a
cam against the inner ends of the pads to cause them to exert clamp
forces on track walls 36. When the locator pin is removed (lifted),
pads 56 release the clamp forces.
As previously noted, FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the preferred locking
mechanism. The invention is concerned with the FIG. 4 locking
mechanism and also with the construction used in making base 10 and
tracks 12.
The track 12 construction is considered advantageous in that it can
have a substantial vertical thickness, on the order of four inches.
The full-length socket cavity 48 will then have a similar length,
such as to provide substantial support for locator pins 14. With a
plug element 50 length of four inches, the locator pin will be
supported in a rigid, wobble-free fashion.
Base 10 and tracks 12 each have a relatively large vertical
dimension (e.g., about four inches), such that the pallet has
rigidity and substantial resistance against possible damage
associated with the deposition (dropping) of heavy steel parts onto
a stack of parts. The pallet can support a relatively large weight
without buckling or breakage. At the same time, the pallet is not
itself excessively heavy. The two fork lift prong-reception tubes
20 act as three-dimensional reinforcements for the pallet base.
Tracks 12 also contribute some rigidity to the base.
The drawings necessarily show specific forms of the invention. It
will be appreciated that the invention can be practiced in other
forms.
* * * * *